In a moment that should have united people in reflection and concern, something far darker has emerged online: a wave of individuals celebrating the reported assassination of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk. Clips are going viral — not of mourning, shock, or outrage — but of laughter, applause, and smug satisfaction. It’s not just disturbing. It’s sickening.

No One Deserves to Be Assassinated — Period.

Whether you agree with Charlie Kirk’s politics or despise everything he stood for, celebrating someone’s death — especially through violence — is a moral failure. We can debate fiercely. We can protest, write, vote, and criticize. But the second we cheer for someone’s blood, we lose the thread of humanity and descend into something uglier than politics.

This isn’t just about Kirk. It’s about the climate we’ve created.

The Internet’s Desensitization to Violence

Social media has become a breeding ground for hot takes and cold hearts. A few hours after reports of Kirk’s assassination broke, Twitter (now X), TikTok, and Instagram lit up — not with condolences or fact-checks, but memes, reaction videos, and gleeful mockery. Some creators racked up millions of views within hours by joking about his death. Others encouraged viewers to “celebrate the fall of a fascist.”

It’s one thing to critique someone’s legacy. It’s another to treat a violent death like entertainment.

This Isn’t Justice — It’s Mob Mentality

Kirk was controversial, yes. He was confrontational, yes. But he was also a private citizen expressing his views in a country built on free speech. No matter how provocative or offensive you found him, assassination is not activism. And celebrating assassination is not progress — it’s mob rule dressed up in hashtags and viral clips.

We’ve seen this pattern before: a public figure is targeted, and the internet cheers. Today it’s Kirk. Tomorrow, it could be someone you admire. This precedent is a slippery slope, and it should terrify all of us.

When Politics Become Personal Hatred

How did we get here? Political discourse has turned into tribal warfare, where disagreement means dehumanization. When someone becomes the enemy, it becomes easier to justify — or even enjoy — their downfall.

That’s how wars start. That’s how societies collapse from within. Not from disagreements, but from the inability to see the “other side” as human.

Where Do We Go From Here?

Condemn violence — no matter who it targets.

Call out celebration of death, even when it’s politically convenient.

Demand better from media and influencers who profit from shock and division.

Engage in criticism, not cruelty.

You don’t have to like Charlie Kirk. You don’t have to support what he said or stood for. But if you’re celebrating his death, ask yourself: What does that say about you?